Suddenly
by becausepuckleberry
Summary: Isn't it amazing how quickly something can change your entire world? Rachel didn't mean to fall in love with her boyfriend's best friend. But she did.


Rachel really didn't mean to fall in love with her boyfriend's ex-best friend. That's not the kind of thing you plan, and if you could plan it, she wouldn't want to fall for Noah Puckerman. The guy who steals ATMs and knocks up celibate Cheerios is not her idea of a dream guy. But, she reasons, her crazy and her extreme need for Broadway probably doesn't make her the ideal girl. But somehow, it happened. Somehow, Rachel Berry fell in love with Noah Puckerman. And by some chance, he happens to love her back.

It happened suddenly, strong and powerful. She was with Finn at the time, and he mentioned something that Noah had said a few months back. Right before the musical and right before her and Finn's first time.

"Wait, he said that?" Rachel asked, head spinning and heart beating fast.

"Yeah." Finn nodded absentmindedly. "First he thought I was cheating on you, so he got mad and told me that wasn't cool, and then he told me that he thought he would be your first. It was just Puck being stupid, you don't need to be mad at him for thinking about you like that. He did say that he was glad it was me, though, so I'm not sure he was serious. Where's the remote?" Finn turned his attention back to the football game that was on, oblivious to the thoughts racing through Rachel's mind as she slumped back onto the couch, good posture forgotten.

He thought he would be her first. What does that mean? Did he want to be? Did he want to be with her in that way only, or did he want to _be _with her? And what about the fact that he was glad it was Finn? Did he think he wasn't good enough for her, or that Finn was better? She didn't know anything at that moment, except that she needed to talk to Noah, and she needed to talk to him now.

"Finn, I think I'm going to leave. I just remembered that my dads wanted me home because we're gonna go out for dinner. I'll…" Rachel grabbed her purse, kissed Finn on the cheek and ran out the door. Finn waved after her, his eyes never leaving the screen.

As Rachel drove to Noah's house, she couldn't think straight. She thought she might have overreacted. Maybe it was just a Puck thing to say, and he didn't mean it. He probably forgot that he ever said it. And besides, why is she reacting like this? She has a boyfriend, a boyfriend that she has loved for over two years and this is wrong. She can't go to Noah's house and confront him, because she doesn't know why she'd be confronting him.

Rachel pulled over to the side of the road and just sat in her car, radio playing softly in the background and the noise of the cars driving by her. She leaned her head against the headrest and felt tears streaming down her face as she started to cry.

Fifteen minutes ago, everything in the world of Rachel Berry was perfect. she had a wonderful boyfriend who she thought she was in love with; she was on the fast track to NYADA and winning Nationals, and Noah was just her friend. But now everything has changed. Noah was different, now. She saw him differently.

He was no longer just Noah, her friend who called her hot on occasion. Nope, now he was the boy who gave up football for her, organized a Barbravention for her, was the very first person who serenaded her, and apparently, wanted to be her first. And she was in love with him.

A knock on her window startled her, and she reached for the pepper spray she always kept in her purse, and under her car seat. However, before she could pull it out, the person at the window spoke.

"Rach, are you okay?" It was Noah. Of course it was Noah, she was like a block away from his house. She wiped her eyes and rolled down the window.

"What did Finn do this time? Did he break up with you? I swear, I'll kill him if he did." Rachel let out a giggle, and shook her head.

"No, Noah, Finn didn't do anything. I'm just being a silly girl." Noah looked at her curiously. "Rachel, are you sure? Because I've only seen you like this the other times he's broken your heart."

"Okay, fine, Noah. Yes, my heart is broken, but no, it wasn't Finn. Finn is perfectly oblivious to my current condition, and so is the boy who caused it."

"Wait. Are you saying someone else did this to you? Because I swear, I'll kill them. Nobody makes you feel this way and gets away with it. So tell me, who was it?" Rachel gave him a weak smile, and decided that it was now or never.

"You. You did this to me. You're the one who is making me feel so miserable right now, it's all your fault."

"Wait, my fault? I didn't do shit! Berry, you're crazy. Can I get in?" he asked, and she motioned for him to open the door on the other side of the car and get in. As she waited for him to get in, the tears started falling again.

"Have you ever just realized that you're in love with somebody? It's a lot to take in, because it wasn't gradual or slow, and even that's overwhelming. Nope, this happened in an instant, triggered by something that Finn mentioned in a conversation. You thought you would be my first? What does that even mean? Wait, don't answer that, it's my turn to talk. I know what it means, it means that you thought we'd share that moment. And then you say that you're glad it's him, like you aren't good enough for me? Noah, if anything, I am not good enough for you. I'm selfish, and crazy, and I talk way too much, mostly about myself and my only redeeming quality is my voice. So don't you ever think that you aren't good enough for me, don't you ever think that you aren't good enough for anything. Because you are, Noah. You are just as good as Finn is in every single way, so don't you dare think that he is the better guy for me. Can you tell me something? Tell me if you want me, if you've ever wanted me but didn't pursue me because of Finn." Rachel glanced over at Noah, who was staring right back at her.

"Rachel, don't do this. Don't do this now, not again. I've already fucked up your relationships twice before, and I will _not _do it again. Besides, what I said to Finn was supposed to stay with Finn. You weren't supposed to know about that."

"Come on, Noah. Haven't you noticed how we always seem to gravitate towards each other? Every time I've been in a relationship with someone else, I always find myself kissing you. Don't you think that there's a reason for that? I realized something today, I realized that you've always just been there for me. And you know what else I realized? I realized that I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, and I just want to be with you. But it's scary, because it all seemed to happen in a moment, and I got so overwhelmed because what if you don't love me back? Then I'll have to stay with Finn, knowing that the way I love him isn't even a percentage of the way that I love you. And I will never be happy with anyone but you, and I don't even know how you feel about me. Maybe I'm just the girl you like to kiss when Quinn is occupied or Santana is busy with Brittany. I honestly don't know. So, I'm going to stop talking now, and you can't either leave the car and pretend this never happened, or…" Rachel sighed, unable to meet Puck's gaze as he gave her one last glance before he got out of the car and walked away, walked away from her crazy. Or so she thought.

He opened her door and pulled her out of the car, wrapping his arms around her as she sobbed into his shoulder and held onto him and wanted to never let go. Because here, in his arms? She felt complete, she felt right.

—-

She broke up with Finn that night. He took it hard, practically begging for her to stay. He tried to convince her that he loved her, and she believed him. The hard part was convincing him that she didn't love him anymore.

"Rachel, you can't do this to me. I promise you, I'll follow you to New York. It doesn't have to end here, we can make this work. Okay? I'll…I'll go," he begged, but she just shook her head.

"Finn, it's Noah." The hurt in Finn's eyes turned to anger, then confusion, and then acceptance with the realization that it really was over. Rachel kissed his cheek before walking out of his house. They stayed friends, but the hurt of what Rachel had done to Finn always lingered, and he could never fully trust her anymore.

—-

Rachel Berry and Noah Puckerman dated for the last five months of high school. Rachel got into NYADA. Noah got into NYU. When Noah told Rachel that he was going to New York for college, she proceeded to kiss him slowly and they made love for the first time that night.

They went to senior prom together and were nominated for Homecoming King and Queen. They didn't win, that honor went to Quinn Fabray and Sam Evans, of course, but they could care less. They danced all night, only with each other and at the end of the night, he walked her to her front door and kissed her good night, like a true gentlemen. However, in true Puck fashion, he climbed through her window five minutes later and spent the night with her, just sleeping.

Three months after Rachel graduated from NYADA, she got her first role on Broadway. She played Elphaba in the Broadway revival of Wicked, and on opening night, Noah gave her flowers and proposed to her during intermission. Rachel was painted green and wearing a witch hat, but it was perfect to her and she said yes. Noah ended up becoming a songwriter, and won a Grammy-it looked nice on the shelf next to Rachel's four Tony Awards.

They got married in Lima, in Rachel's backyard. It was a simple wedding, only their closest friends and their family. Puck's mother cried the whole time, overly enthused that her Noah had managed to hold onto Rachel Berry, a _Jewish _girl. Ten months later, they welcomed twins: Caroline and Barbra Puckerman

And even though she was selfish and crazy, and he was crass and cussed too much, they just _worked _together. Noah got the girl, and Rachel got her happily ever. Sure, they fought a lot, usually over the stupidest things, but they made it work because they wanted it to.


End file.
